Communism in Washington State 
History and Memory Project 

1917
The Bolsheviks unite with Soviets established in various Russian cities to take control of the government in the October Revolution. Trotsky and Vladimir Lenin (below) are architects of the revolution. The Second All-Russia Congress of Soviets leads to the creation of the Russian Federated Soviet Socialist Republic . A peace settlement is reached with Germany .

United States enters the war.

 First "Red Scare" in the US ; radicals, socialists and IWW members are targeted in raids.

1918 
Armistice in the Great War.

1919
February – The first city-wide strike to occur in the United States begins – the Seattle General Strike.

March – First Communist International (Comitern), composed of Communists and radical socialists from around the world, including the United States , meets in Moscow . In the United States, socialists aligning with the Comitern’s pledge allegiance to the revolutionary overthrow of the capitalist system, break from the Socialist Party of Eugene Debs to form the Communist Party of America and the Communist Labor Party, which later merge.

November – An IWW hall is attacked by military veterans during an Armistice Day parade in Centralia. Five veterans are killed by gunfire; a mob breaks into the city jail and pulls out the perceived IWW leader, who was hanged, shot and mutilated. The state of Washington passes a law banning the IWW. In a subsequent trial, seven Wobblies are convicted of murder.

1920   
Continued persecution of Communists and "reds," including the IWW.

1921   
Comintern pressures rival communist parties to unite, form Workers Party

1922
Workers Party exerts influence on political coalitions, labor councils

1923
 Lenin dies

AFL orders Seattle Central Labor Council to follow union governance by eliminating Communist issues

 1924        
The Ku Klux Klan stages massive rally in Issaquah on July 26, attended by an estimated crowd of 13,000.

Joseph Stalin adopts the principle of socialism in one country, a departure from the doctrine of the earlier Internationals.

1925   
Seattle Central Labor Council completes expulsion of Communist members

1928
Washington courts rule that Workers Party candidates may appear on ballot
Sixth World Conference of Communist Parties calls for period of revolutionary action

1929      
Stock market crashes.

CPUSA launches Trade Union Unity League  

1930
CPUSA launches Unemployed Councils, calls for unemployment insurance,    seven-hour day, and recognition of Soviet Union .

1931    
Unemployed Council forms in Seattle

Socialists form rival Unemployed Citizens League  

Scottsboro Boys verdict

The Vanguard begins publication  

1932   
March of unemployment groups on Olympia ends in scuffles between rival organizations      

1933         
Washington state unemployment peaks at more than 25 percent

Cannery and Agricultural Workers’ Industrial Union forms

Voice of Action begins publishing

CP defends Ted Jordan in race-linked  murder trial in Portland, Oregon

1934   
West Coast waterfront strike leads to police violence against strikers in San Francisco and Seattle

Revels Cayton starts Seattle chapter of League for Struggle for Negro Rights,   runs for Seattle City Council

1935   
Washington Commonwealth Federation forms

Local 751 of International Association of Machinists forms  

Local 401 of American Federation of Teachers forms on UW campus  

Seventh World Congress of Communist Parties advocates popular front alliances
  

1936  
Terry Pettus organizes chapter of American Newspaper Guild  

Guild strikes Seattle Post-Intelligencer

International Woodworkers of America created to encompass many lumber industry unions

1937
Harry Bridges leads west-coast longshoremen into CIO. Union renamed International Longshoremen’s and  Warehousemen’s

Washington Pension Union forms 

1939   
Communist Party membership peaks at close to 100,000 nationwide, about 3,000  in District 12

Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact

State Representative Underwood requests investigation of "communist activities" at UW  

1940
Smith Act makes it a crime to advocate the overthrow of the US government

1945
Washington Commonwealth Federation disbanded

1946  
John Daschbach founds Washington Civil Rights Congress     

1947
The state’s Joint Legislative Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Activities is set up to investigate the influence and presence of Communists in state politics.  

1949   
Officers of Cannery Workers’ and Farm Laborers’ Union arrested as Communists, scheduled for deportation

Three UW professors dismissed for Communist ties

1950   
Cannery Workers’ and Farm Laborers’ Union affiliates with International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union

Congress passes McCarran-Walter Internal Security Act to monitor Communists
In landmark case, US Supreme Court rules that Cannery  Union officers cannot be deported.

1952   
Seven union and civil rights activists in Seattle are charged with conspiracy for attending Communist Party meetings under the Smith Act. The seven include established leaders of the Communist Party in Washington - Henry Huff, John Daschbach, William Pennock, Paul Bowen, Karly Larsen, Terry Pettus and Barbara Hartle.

Barbara Hartle, late of Seattle Seven, becomes FBI informant  

1955   
Disgruntled party activist Eugene Dennett testifies against Party

1962
UW professor fired for not signing loyalty oath

Gus Hall prohibited from speaking on UW campus  

1963
Washington Pension Union officially declared dissolved  

Eugene Roebel arrested and fired from shipyard job in McCarran Act case 

1964   
Subversive Activities Control Board investigates Washington Committee for Protection  of Foreign Born

George Wallace allowed to speak on UW campus

UW students successfully demand abolition of ban on Communists speaking on campus

Henry Winston, national Communist Party leader, permitted to speak at UW

Milford Sutherland runs for Washington State governorship .

1965
Washington Communist Party engages in campaigns on behalf of Native Americans, Seattle Women for Peace, Central District

1969           
Angela Davis fired from UCLA professorship

1974         
People before Profits Center opens in Seattle

1979        
B.J. Mangaoang becames chair of state Communist Party

1980
Marion Kinney runs for State Legislature as a Communist

1984
Kistler runs for State Legislature
B.J. Mangaoang runs for mayor of Seattle

1989   
Eastern European communist bloc countries collapse

1990       
BJ Mangaoang lauded in Seattle newspaper for her leadership
She reports less than 200 Party members State-wide . 

1998          
Mark Jenkins play, "All Powers Necessary and Convenient," examining the 1948 Canwell Committee hearings is staged by UW.

2001   
Seattle Communist Party office closed

Marc Brodine replaces B.J. Mangaoang as chair of State Party; and is elected to the National  Committee

2002   
Brodine reports state membership at 60 .